Reducing Wait Times?

Having returned to MWO after a long hiatus, I am finding the main reason I quit is still happening, namely extremely long wait times for matches. I prefer the faction battles to the other types, but normally I am lucky to get into a single match in my available playtime. My question is, is there any way to reduce the average wait time for a match? Should I be trying to join a unit, or do they suffer the same issue? Anyway, I love Battletech, and MWO seems like an awesome game, when I can play it. I would hate to have to give up again for lack for matches to play.

Having returned to MWO after a long hiatus, I am finding the main reason I quit is still happening, namely extremely long wait times for matches. I prefer the faction battles to the other types, but normally I am lucky to get into a single match in my available playtime. My question is, is there any way to reduce the average wait time for a match? Should I be trying to join a unit, or do they suffer the same issue? Anyway, I love Battletech, and MWO seems like an awesome game, when I can play it. I would hate to have to give up again for lack for matches to play.

I'm going to divide this response by Quick Play (QP) and Faction Play (FP):.

QP:
If you hover your mouse over the "Play" button, it should show you each mech class and a percentage. If you select a percentage that isn't the highest, it will find a match faster for you. Otherwise, there is no real way to speed up queuing as a solo player.
If in a group, than being in a 12 man group tends to help MM in finding matches.
Overall, QP queuing shouldn't take very long. It's rarely taken long for me to personally find a match in QP.

FP:
your best chances to reduce waiting times here is to have a full 12 man (or 4 for scouting) premade team. This mode does depend upon population and time of day, as not many people seem to play this game mode. Wait for an event in that game mode, and you'll find plenty of matches.
Overall, this game mode will have long wait times. Don't rate the game based on FP wait times. It's got a low population count.

I try to drop into faction matches as IS, and maybe I am just not waiting long enough. Seems like at least 3-5 minutes before I hit cancel though lol.

Depending upon the mode (Scouting or Invasion), the wait times will vary. Scouting will find matches sooner, but is restricted to 4 man groups and medium mechs one (Clans can't take 55 tonners as a note at the moment). Invasion mode I've been known to be in queue for 30+ minutes before... So waiting only 5 or less minutes isn't going to cut it getting invasion matches.

But seriously, the wait times for FP are almost always long. If you want matches quickly, QP (hence it's called "quick" play) will be your best bet. If you are still looking for a match there for over 3 minutes... Something probably went really wrong. (It can happen, but i find it's rather rare to happen.)

The worst times to drop in UTC times are around 08:00 - 10:00am....but...even during this time you should be able to find matches in QuickPlay under 5 mins.
Regarding Faction play...well...might I ask you if this is an alt-account of you ?
If not you joined the game October 1st 2017 so you realy are pretty fresh.
Maybe want to get some hundred QP rounds and one or two decks of mechs to drop with for qp and a unit to drop with regularely before thinking of droping in Faction play.

I first made my account a couple years ago, maybe. I quit playing out of a combination of frustration over wait times, and the fact that as much as I like FPS type games, I really am not very good at them. So even though I don't have a lot of playtime under my belt, I am not sure why the account is showing October 2017 lol. Also, I do mostly try to play faction, as it seems to me to be the main point of the game, as least from a story line perspective. I guess I will try more quick play matches and see how that goes.

I first made my account a couple years ago, maybe. I quit playing out of a combination of frustration over wait times, and the fact that as much as I like FPS type games, I really am not very good at them. So even though I don't have a lot of playtime under my belt, I am not sure why the account is showing October 2017 lol. Also, I do mostly try to play faction, as it seems to me to be the main point of the game, as least from a story line perspective. I guess I will try more quick play matches and see how that goes.

The forums tend to record the first day you logged onto the forums as your "account start" date. If you have never logged onto the forums until now, than that would explain why your join by date is off. (Or, last I knew.)

Long story short.. Faction play has long wait times. Partly due to low activity at some points of the day. Within the last hour of a cease fire is when the activity is most active. Sad, I know. Wish that system was never done. A simple best out of 100 matches to decide the fate of the planet would have been much better and was the original plan.

No matter. You can always check the currently "in faction play" count as the numbers for each side and that will give you an idea of the wait time. If the count is near a 100 players then waits might be pretty short. If there's barely 30 players in it at the moment... it really depends on how close one side is to having a full 12 waiting to go. If one side has a LOT more players than the other... you may end up waiting eternally.